Emotion bands around my chest. “It’s not too late,” I whisper.
“I’ve taken from you. So much. I understand that now.” She backs up another step. “It’s over now, Talia, but I can still give you one thing.”
Years of suspicion rise up in me. I try to find the twist in her words.
She pulls a dagger from her belt. Does she think she can kill me with that? Kill any of us? I’ll char her to dust first.
Mother lifts the knife but then abruptly turns it and drives it toward her heart.
I gasp in shock. My lightning stops raging around me, and the cavernous room dims. Sudden silence descends after the startled noises from Griffin and my caged brothers and friends. Mother staggers and then falls. Her hand drops to the side, leaving the dagger in her chest.
I lunge forward, crouching next to her. “Mother?”
Turning her head toward me, she lifts her good hand—the one I didn’t send a lightning bolt through—and then brushes her fingertips against my cheek. It’s the only time she’s ever touched me with affection. The softness in her face is so different, so bright.
My knees hit the floor, and I bend over her, my throat squeezing tight. Griffin kneels down next to me, his warm hand a comfort on my back. I thank the Gods he’s here. Without him, I might break.
My obligation was clear. Griffin knew it. I knew it. Mother knew it. Extract a binding promise from her to do no further harm, or strike her down. She refused the vow. Mother’s only gift to me besides life and my sisters was taking this terrible duty out of my hands.
With her last breath, she exhales words I never thought I’d hear. “I’ll tell Eleni I’m sorry.”
My vision blurs as her eyes dull into the sightless stare of death. All is quiet around me, and Griffin is a strong, silent, consoling presence by my side.
We won. Thalyria is ours. Only one life was lost today.
Love is weakness.It’s what Mother always said. It’s what’s true, in a way.
Merciless Cat.Griffin had it right, too.
Compassion and ruthlessness have always danced around each other inside me like wary partners, but I know the music they spin to, and I’d rather have a heart to break than no heart at all.
I’ll never believe that Mother chose this path today because she knew I could beat her and that her kingdom was lost. If she’d wanted to, she still would have fought to the bitter end, would have forced me to kill her. But in the face of my mercy, something inside her shifted. Elpis finally touched her heart.
My breath shuddering, I pat down Mother, looking for her obol. Finding it, I force the tremor from my hand and pull the coin from her pocket, gripping it hard.
Her life force has only just left Thalyria. She’s just now seeing the other side.
I stare at the coin. I could doom her to Asphodel. I could take her payment for passage across the Styx.
I rub the coin between my fingers. It’s not even gold. It’s nearly worthless on our plane of existence. But take it from her? Some days, I despised her enough to do it. I’ll always struggle with the darkness in me that sometimes sways the scales and will always fringe my wings and shade my actions. But today, I have no desire for revenge, and the choice of where Mother goes next isn’t mine to make.
I tuck the coin into her still-pliant hand and then fold her closed fist across her chest. I judged her plenty in life. Charon and Hades can judge her in death.
And if she gets that far, Eleni can decide if she wants to forgive.
I sit back on my heels, taking a deep, steadying breath. Then, turning to Griffin, I gently kiss his lips. “I can’t believe it’s over.”
“It’s over,” he says, cupping my jaw. “And you were amazing and strong.”
I tilt my head, studying him. “You were awfully quiet through all that.”
A small smile lifts his mouth. “You did everything you needed to all by yourself.”
He’s right. Today I mostly needed him supporting my choices, watching my back, and showing Mother that together is so much better than alone.
Aetos clears his throat, and I pop up, turning to my friends.
“It’s time to get you out.” I only waited this long because I figured they were safer from Mother behind bars.
